


Reclamation

by Chameleon777



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25694995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chameleon777/pseuds/Chameleon777
Summary: What if Malcolm Reed was not part of the outgoing crew in 'Broken Bow'?What if he was introduced to the Enterprise NX-01 and her crew in a different way?What if his reintroduction to Starfleet raised more questions than answers and invited an opportunity for change and growth? Unfortunately, not everyone is happy about either.This story begins during the episode 'Terra Nova.'
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Discovery

2151

Even with such advancements in humanity, nothing could ever prepare anyone for a loss such as death.

The last mission had gone badly and their Armory Officer, Lieutenant Duncan Hayes from Scotland, had been killed in the line of duty. Unfortunately, Jonathan Archer wasn't sure how because they hadn't been able to beam the body back. It had happened too quickly and the body had only been visible for a moment before they had been beamed out of what had been brutal conditions. Whatever had happened was still a secret and it wasn't that nobody was talking; it was that nobody could remember. A memorial service had felt pointless without a body and Duncan Hayes was one of those who hadn't had any attachments to Earth whatsoever, joining Starfleet simply because nothing else had appealled to him.

Starfleet had been notified of the situation and had advised the Enterprise to continue on their mission because it couldn't afford to be without the information that would come with deep space travel. The Enterprise, Admiral Forrest said, would have to make do until they could find someone who had carried the qualifications that Lt. Hayes had. The Admiral had then ordered them to investigate a planet known as Terra Nova, a deep space colony that had fallen out of contact with Starfleet many years ago.

Still reeling from the death of his Armory Officer, Captain Archer had reluctantly agreed to go and now he, T'Pol, and Mayweather were down on the planet with a Security officer who looked as if they would rather be anywhere but on another away mission. The shuttle ride had been a quiet one and Archer couldn't blame anyone for feeling uneasy about continuing to work even though they had suffered a catastrophic loss, but he was a military man and was about following orders. Starfleet had wanted them to continue on as they were and that's what they would do. Everyone had loved Hayes and those under him had tried to move on, but none of them had really been able to actually do it yet.

"We're…we're not alone, sir," an anxious voice suddenly spoke. "I swear I saw something…"

Archer turned towards the Security officer and saw that he was trembling so much that if he were to fire a weapon, one of them might end up accidentally shot instead. The security officer, however, was gazing into the distance with wide eyes, "A human?" he said anxiously. "Captain, look there…"

Deeply concerned and confused, Captain Archer moved over to the Security officer and his eyes widened as he looked in the direction the officer had indicated. Through the brush, he could see a sickly, but youthful looking Human male with wild hair and simple clothing gathering leaves and wood with the help of a primal looking creature who was also clad in simple clothing. The Human male suddenly froze.

"We're being watched," Captain Archer heard the Human male speak in a British accent. "Go get help."

The primal looking male, however, did not move, "We promised Nadet we would protect you, Malcolm," the man spoke in a gruff voice. "We will not leave you to be eaten by strange beasts."

"STOP!" the Security officer shouted as he emerged from the bushes with his phaser rifle raised. "Get away from the Human, you disgusting freak of nature! Sir, we're from the Enterprise and we're here to…!"

The Human, however, pulled a weapon out of his pocket and pointed it at the Security officer, "Do _not_ harm my brother or I will kill you where you stand!" he ordered in a clipped British accent, his expression one that dared the foreigners to challenge is authority. "And he is _not_ a freak!

Captain Archer's eyes widened and he was about to emerge from the bushes to diffuse the situation when T'Pol and Mayweather arrived, "Captain…" Mayweather said anxiously.

Unfortunately, the Human male heard Mayweather and aimed his weapon towards the bushes, "Show yourselves!" he shouted in the same clipped British accent. "I will not let you harm my family!"

"Captain, I would advise we listen," T'Pol replied tonelessly. "This may help us develop trust."

Captain Archer swallowed hard, but came out of the bushes with T'Pol and Mayweather with their hands raised. The Human male eyed their uniforms with wide eyes, his expression one of confusion.

"Who…are you?" the Human male spoke in a weaker voice. "You are Humans…like us."

The primal looking male frowned, "Your voice is weak," he replied. "Malcolm, drink your medicine."

"I…I agree," Archer heard the British man say weakly. "What…what about…?"

The Security officer glared at him and promptly fired his phaser, hitting the British man in the leg. As he fell, the primal man shot the Security officer straight in the chest and aimed the gun at the others.

"You are not good!" the primal man grunted angrily. "You hurt my brother when he's already sick!"

Dean Archer frowned, "Your brother is sick?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Can we help?"

"You can come," the primal man spoke coldly, nodding at Archer. "But the other two must leave."

T'Pol and Mayweather exchanged a look, "Go back to the ship and talk to Phlox," Archer said softly, watching as the primal man knelt down next to the other male and checked his leg worriedly. "Get him to come down."

"We must get to camp under the ground!" the primal man grunted. "Malcolm's medicine is there."

Dean Archer moved over to his officer and saw that he was dead from the blast. The officer was dead, Jonathan knew, because of pure carelessness. The primal man grunted and Archer moved over to him quickly as Mayweather and T'Pol reluctantly fled back in the direction they had come from in order to get Phlox.

"Carry Malcolm," the primal man ordered in a sharp voice, glaring at Archer menacingly. "Or I _will_ kill you."

* * *

The caverns were cool and damp, but Captain Archer didn't really have much of a chance to look at them because he was focused on helping the Human male called Malcolm get through the caves with his rapidly increasing symptoms of illness and injured leg. It was a long process, but Malcolm remained quiet and focused and didn't talk to anyone even though he would stop occasionally to cough.

Soon enough, they emerged into a large cavern that contained dwellings, scavenged supplies, and more primal looking creatures. An elderly woman rushed out of a dwelling and Captain Archer felt Malcolm being led away to a flat rock that resembled a bed. She laid him on it and examined him anxiously.

"You work too much," the woman spoke worriedly. "You rest and take your medicine. You want your blanket?"

Malcolm nodded, "I'm sorry, Nadet, but we ran into trouble," he replied weakly as he began coughing.

Dean Archer froze as he saw that Malcolm was coughing up blood, but Nadet hurried out of sight before he could speak. A moment later, Nadet returned with a rugged looking blanket and a strange bottle.

"Your special blanket and medicine," Nadet spoke, dropping the blanket over Malcolm. "You drink it and rest."

Malcolm nodded and drank from the bottle, "That's an interesting blanket," Captain Archer said softly, desperate to repair some of the damage that his now dead security officer had caused during this contact mission.

"It's what was left of my uniform when my shuttlepod crashed in 2141," Malcolm replied as he stopped drinking and sighed. "My caregiver, Nadet, made it for me to help me get well. It's my comfort…"

Dean Archer frowned, "Shuttlepod?" he asked in a confused voice. "Where did you come from?"

"Earth," Malcolm replied weakly. "I…I suppose it was shortly after graduating Starfleet Academy."

Shock filled Dean Archer, "You're from Starfleet?" he asked in a surprised voice. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ensign Malcolm Reed, sir," Malcolm replied in a tired voice. "Of the Shuttlepod _Paris_."


	2. Extraction

"You're _joking_."

T'Pol scoffed as she stood with Mayweather, Hoshi, Commander Tucker, and Phlox around a computer terminal on the Bridge where she had accessed Starfleet personnel files, "I assure you, Commander Tucker, Vulcans do not joke," she replied tonelessly. "I have accessed Ensign Reed's record."

The group looked at the record, "Ensign Reed was sent to survey Terra Nova from orbit in 2141 to see if anyone was left there and report back to Starfleet, but they lost contact with him," Hoshi spoke in a concerned voice. "All they had to give him was the Shuttlepod Paris and the trip took a while…"

"And nobody ever checked to see if he was dead or anythin'?" Commander Tucker asked coldly, an expression of disbelief on his face. "He sat on that planet for 10 years and didn't try to find help?!"

Hoshi sighed anxiously, "Tight budgets," she replied softly. "No money for that kind of a search. From what the record says, Shuttlepod Paris was one of the experimental pods that Starfleet wanted to test on a deep space mission to see if long-range travel was actually possible for their crafts. Reed was a new Ensign who had some _trouble_ in other postings, so he volunteered to do this. Starfleet accepted and sent him on his way cause nobody else would take the mission."

"… _Archer to Phlox_ ," a voice suddenly filled the Bridge. " _I've talked the people down here in letting you come down to look at Malcolm, but you can't bring anyone. They're very skittish_ …"

Phlox sighed and Hoshi tapped a button, "Phlox is on his way," Hoshi replied in a concerned voice.

Nodding, Phlox left the Bridge, "Should I inform Starfleet Command of our discovery?" T'Pol asked tonelessly, eyeing the record on the computer. "There is some family listed here…"

" _Go ahead_ ," Captain Archer replied worriedly. _"Explain the situation to Admiral Forrest_."

* * *

Captain Archer pocketed his communicator and looked at Malcolm, only to find that he was sleeping and looking considerably sicker than before, "He sleeps many hours after he works," Nadet spoke as she walked over to where Archer was standing. "He very broken when we find him. We nursed him."

"What happened to the shuttlepod he was in?" Dean Archer asked in a concerned voice.

A cough filled the air as Malcolm woke in a coughing fit that spattered blood all over himself and the ground. Nadet hurried over to him with the bottle again, but Malcolm quickly passed out cold.

"Let me try and help," Captain Archer said worriedly as he moved over to Malcolm. "Malcolm?"

Nadet and the man, along with a few others in the shadows, watched with intrigue and worry as Archer touched Malcolm's face, "…I'm so tired," a weak mumble spoke. "Please don't let me die."

Noise filled the cavern as Jamin, the man who had been scavenging with Malcolm when Enterprise arrived, came into the underground camp with Phlox, who was carrying his medkit, "Nadet is also sick," Malcolm spoke weakly. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for her ministrations. Please help her first."

"You threw up blood," Captain Archer spoke firmly. "Nadet, have you also thrown up?"

Nadet set the bottle on a rock and Jamin walked over to Phlox, "You have medicine that will help our Malcolm?" Jamin asked gruffly, eyeing Phlox with an expression of great uncertainty on his face.

"Yes, I have medicine," Phlox replied as he got his medical tricorder out and waved it over Malcolm before looking at the others. "He has cancer in his lungs and radiation poisoning, but both are easily treatable on the ship. If someone can help him to the surface, I can take Ensign Reed to…"

Malcolm whimpered and reached for Nadet anxiously, "He is scared to go to the overworld and to your skyship," Nadet explained calmly. "He was found broken in a skyship before. Do _not_ be angry at him."

"What…what year is it that _you_ have a ship?" Malcolm asked weakly, struggling with his pain as he suddenly woke.

Dean Archer sighed, "It's 2151," he replied calmly. "You've been here about 10 years."

A look of horror filled Malcolm's face and he turned his head away from Archer, "If you need my pod, what's left of it is the overworld," Malcolm spoke weakly. "Jamin, can you show him?"

"I don't trust they will not harm you," Jamin replied, eyeing Phlox suspiciously. "I will wait."

Nadet glared at Jamin, "I will go with Malcolm to big skyship," she replied. "I must protect him."

"If we could get going back to the ship, I'll be able to help both of you," Phlox spoke up as he looked at Malcolm worriedly. "It appears that Ensign Reed has passed out again and is very sick."

Archer sighed, "Carry him back to where you can beam out," he replied. "I need to see the pod."

Phlox looked uneasy, but managed to lift Malcolm and his blanket from the rock, "Akary, take land dweller and Malcolm back," Jamin ordered to the shadows. "Nadet, go with them to big skyship."

Captain Archer paused as Jamin looked at him, "I take you to Malcolm's skyship," Jamin spoke gruffly.

* * *

The walk to what Jamin called the Overworld was short and Captain Archer found himself stunned to be led into the townsite and into an abandoned building. He was stunned to see a portable computer, a box of rations, a backpack, and a few parts that looked as if they belonged to a shuttlepod.

"Malcolm used the rest," Jamin replied gruffly. "After his brain and body healed and memory returned. He used the rest to help us build our cave houses and what we needed. He was very generous and kind to all of us."

Dean Archer frowned, "Malcolm lost his memory in the crash?" he asked in a concerned voice as he walked over to the supplies. "Do you mind if I send these things of Malcolm's to my skyship? So we can look at them?"

"Malcolm hates his things messed with, but he visits here every sunrise," Jamin replied. "He speaks into a small box and weeps before coming under the ground again. He works to help us with what he has."

Dean Archer nodded, "The place where Malcolm is from, Starfleet, will need these things to help them understand this place," he replied worriedly. "It also might help Malcolm to have his things."

Jamin nodded and Dean Archer got his communicator out, "Archer to Enterprise," he said softly.

"Go ahead," Hoshi said anxiously. "Phlox and a couple of the Novans just beamed aboard…"

Dean Archer sighed, "I found some remnants of Malcolm's shuttlepod that I want Enterprise to beam up for analysis," he replied calmly. "The Novans are going to let us send Malcolm's things to him."

"We're locking on to them now," a voice said. "We're beaming them up in 5 seconds…"

As the items dematerialized, Jamin sighed, "Malcolm said the other part of Overworld is nicer, but he is so sick that he does not do well exploring," he spoke softly. "He made himself sick helping us."

"Can you show me?" Dean Archer asked in a confused voice. "I'd like to see what he saw."

Jamin nodded, "Malcolm wishes to help, but he cannot," he replied. "Perhaps you might be able to."

* * *

"…Ensign Reed?"

Malcolm's brain was foggy and he heard voices, _"…He'll need several treatments over the course of days, maybe even weeks, but he won't need to stay here between treatments if he's supervised…"_

A hand touched his face and Malcolm instinctively grabbed it in a defensive grip that Jamin had taught him to use against visiting aliens who had tried to take over Terra Nova, "…His grip is strong!" a Southern accent suddenly filled the air. "How do I get him to let me go. I was just…"

"Malcolm, he is not hurting you," Malcolm heard a voice speak. "He is not hurting you, dear child."

Malcolm opened his eyes and saw that he was gripping a blonde man by the wrist who was looking somewhat frightened, "You're not a Klingon or any sort of alien pirate, are you?" he asked weakly.

"No!" Commander Tucker replied in a shocked voice. "I'm the Chief Engineer and you're…AH!"

Commander Tucker gasped as Malcolm released his wrist, "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone come to try and raid the planet," Malcolm replied softly. "Lots of alien pirates have visited the planet and tried to take it over, but I fought them off along with the rest of those who could fight…"

"Malcolm is a good protector," Nadet spoke from nearby. "He protects us from bad aliens for many moons."

Malcolm shakily sat up and looked around, "Is this some kind of hospital?" he asked softly.

Phlox suddenly came into view and Malcolm found himself looking around. He could see Nadet on another bed and he saw a Vulcan female lingering beside the blonde Chief Engineer. The sight of a Vulcan female made Malcolm feel a sudden unease; he vaguely remembered seeing individuals with pointed ears, but he couldn't remember when or where.

"You're in the sickbay on board the Enterprise," Phlox replied calmly, causing Malcolm to look at him with an expression of deep confusion. "You passed out and I've discovered that you've developed radiation sickness and cancer from your prolonged exposure to the planet, but it's curable…"

Malcolm sighed weakly and looked at the dripline in his hand, quickly realizing that he was now in clean pajamas and his special blanket was gone, "Where's my blanket?" he asked weakly. "I need it."

"Decon with the rest of your stuff," Commander Tucker replied calmly. "We gotta talk."

T'Pol cleared her throat as she stepped forward, "Ensign Reed is ill, Commander," she spoke in a quiet voice, giving Commander Tucker a look before looking at Malcolm. "And obviously frightened."

"Well, how would you feel if you woke up on a Starfleet ship after hearing you spent 10 years on a planet because Starfleet didn't care to send someone to look for you after you crashed?!" Malcolm replied in an angry voice as he glared at T'Pol. "I nearly died and if it wasn't for the Novans, I…"

A pained expression filled Malcolm's face and he found himself being eased back down to the bed, "Your other man told me that," he spoke in a pained voice. "I…I couldn't believe it. 10 years…"

"Cap'n Archer must have told him," Commander Tucker realized. " _Crap_ …"

Phlox quickly administered a hypospray to Malcolm, "You need to rest, Ensign," he spoke softly.

Nadet watched as Malcolm drifted into a deep sleep, "He needs to stay?" she asked softly. "He looks so sick."

"He cannot go back to the planet at all if he wants to get well," Phlox replied firmly, gazing at Nadet. "He was not born there like you were and he _will_ eventually die if he goes back into that environment because his body cannot handle what's down there. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you will have to leave him here."

Nadet looked upset, but nodded, "I will tell Jamin," she replied. "I must go back to my home. Please tell Malcolm goodbye for all of us. We cannot keep him because we do not want him to die. He is too nice to die."

"You're fully cured, so you can if you wish," Phlox replied calmly. "Sub-commander, would you…?"

T'Pol nodded and led Nadet from the Sickbay, "Um, Phlox, if Malcolm needs a place to bunk when he's able to be out and about, he can use my bed," Commander Tucker replied worriedly. "I don't mind cause he'll probably spend a lot of nights in here. I can adjust my hours to watch him. I know I don't hafta do it, but he's all alone out here and he's gonna be torn away from what he knows again..."

"That's very generous of you, Commander," Phlox replied calmly. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

Officer Tucker nodded, suddenly feeling very sorry for the young ensign and his current situation.

* * *

The Southern Overworld, as Jamin called it, was full of clean air and lots of healthy vegetation and Archer found himself mystified at how different it was than the place Malcolm had considered home for the last 10 years. It extended a long way and he knew that they were just at the start of it.

"Enterprise to Captain Archer," a voice suddenly spoke over his communicator.

Captain Archer pulled out his communicator, "Archer here," he replied in a concerned voice.

"Cap'n, T'Pol is beaming down with the one Malcolm calls Nadet, but Phlox says Malcolm can't come back to the surface," Commander Tucker's drawl spoke. "He's too sick right now to do anythin'."

Jamin frowned, "Malcolm is still on the skyship?" he asked worriedly. "When can he come back?"

"We should go meet up with T'Pol and Nadet," Captain Archer replied, pocketing his communicator simply because he felt like Trip was hiding information for his and T'Pol's safety. "Can we go back?"

Jamin eyed him, but nodded and there was no conversation between the two as they made the long journey back through the caverns to the meeting point. As they emerged on the other side, they saw T'Pol and a concerned looking Nadet, "Malcolm is not able to come back from the skyship because the planet makes him sick," Nadet spoke anxiously. "Alien doctor tell me that Malcolm will die if he comes back here."

"If Phlox says that, it's probably true," Captain Archer replied solemnly, realizing that he would have to contend with an angry Ensign Reed once the dust settled. "Phlox is a very smart, capable doctor."

Jamin looked solemn and angry, "Malcolm has done so much for us all," he replied gruffly, his expression angry.

"He is not fine and medicine on the skyship can help him," Nadet spoke. "We must do what he said was safe."

Captain Archer frowned, "Malcolm told you to do something?" he asked in a confused voice.

"We go to area that Malcolm said is safe," Jamin spoke solemnly. "Tell Malcolm goodbye for all us Novans."

Archer frowned, "Captain, I believe this is their way of letting Ensign Reed go," T'Pol said. "We should leave."

Before Archer could reply, Jamin stormed off into the cave and Nadet reluctantly followed him, "Archer to Enterprise," Archer said, getting his communicator out. "Prepare to beam T'Pol and I out."


	3. Staking a Claim

_**One Week Later** _

" _Captain's Log, it's been a week since we left Terra Nova with Ensign Reed and his information from the last 10 years. Hoshi has copied the logs and sent them off to Starfleet Command for analysis…"_

A beep filled the room, "Captain, Admiral Forrest is contacting us," Hoshi's voice filled the air.

"Computer, pause log entry," Captain Archer spoke before he turned to his computer in the safety of his private quarters and activated it, revealing Admiral Forrest. "Admiral Forrest, what can I do for you?"

Admiral Forrest sighed, " _Jon, Starfleet's been reviewing the logs that Ensign Reed kept on Terra Nova during the 10 years that he was there_ ," he replied softly. " _And the computer data Ensign Sato sent us_."

"I know it's an unusual situation, Admiral," Captain Archer replied in a concerned voice. "Ensign Reed's currently in Sickbay receiving extensive treatment for radiation illness and cancer, but he's improving enough that Phlox might wake him today. Did you want us to return him to Earth for debriefing?"

Admiral Forrest shook his head, " _Starfleet wants the mission to continue because who knows how many opportunities will be lost if it doesn't and frankly Captain, Ensign Reed has nowhere he can go on Earth_ ," he replied in a quiet voice. " _We did try reaching out to the Reed family about Ensign Reed, but they didn't care to hear that he was still alive. In fact, they seemed somewhat disappointed_ …"

"Disappointed that he was alive?" Captain Archer replied, frowning. "That doesn't seem right."

Admiral Forrest sighed, " _Jon, it is what it is_ ," he replied firmly. " _And Ensign Reed may prove a useful solution to the problem you currently have. He's had extensive tactical and survival training according to these logs and you need a new armory officer. The weapons haven't changed much since he left Earth 10 years ago and his work proves that he's fit for promotion to Lieutenant. Get him up to speed and promote him._ "

"I have concerns about that," Captain Archer replied worriedly. "There's so many unanswered questions and possible trauma surrounding Ensign Reed. I worry about forcing so much on him so quickly."

Admiral Forrest scowled, " _Ensign Reed was the one who agreed to take the mission to Terra Nova 10 years ago, Captain_ ," he replied firmly. " _I assure you he can handle anything. You have your orders_."

The call ended and Captain Archer scoffed before gazing at Porthos, who was sitting on the bed looking at him curiously, "Did you want to come with me to Sickbay, boy?" he asked softly. "You might make our new addition feel better about being here. When he wakes up, he's going to be very upset."

Porthos tilted his head curiously, "Shall we?" Captain Archer said as he stood up and dusted off.

* * *

Nadet was gone from the strange Sickbay, Malcolm observed as he slowly woke and looked around after coming out of sedation. Starfleet had most likely kicked them off the ship and taken him back by force because he was not a Novan; he was one of _them_. He had a feeling Terra Nova was now far away.

A wave of lightheadedness hit Malcolm as he slowly sat up and immediately noticed that he had another IV line embedded in his hand as well as a strange bandage on his right arm. He could see a set of civilian clothing and a pair of shoes on the tray that he recognized as belonging to him.

"Good to see you awake, Ensign," a warm voice spoke. "How are you feeling?"

Malcolm looked at Phlox questioningly, "Lightheaded," he replied softly. "Is that normal?"

"A normal reaction to the treatments," Phlox replied as he administered a hypo to his neck. "Better?"

Malcolm sighed, "A little," he replied softly. "I'm guessing we're far away from Terra Nova?"

"The Captain thought it best to get underway again once the Novans were made aware of you being sick from the planet," Phlox replied calmly. "We have your things on board and Starfleet is aware of…"

The doors suddenly slid open and Captain Archer came in with Porthos on a leash, "Ensign," he spoke calmly, seeing that Malcolm was awake and sitting up. "It's good to see you awake…"

"What's going to happen to me now?" Malcolm asked softly, his head lowering. "Arrest?"

Captain Archer looked concerned, "No, your logs provided Starfleet with helpful information," he replied in a calm voice. "Starfleet wants you back to active duty eventually, but when you're well enough."

"Any patch of floor will do, sir," Malcolm replied softly. "I slept on rocks for 10 years."

Silence filled the Sickbay and a moment later, a door opened and closed, "Cap'n?" a drawl spoke.

Malcolm looked up and saw Commander Tucker standing there, "You'll still need a few more treatments before you're completely well and I'd like you to stay supervised when you're not in Sickbay," Captain Archer said calmly as he gestured to Commander Tucker. "Commander Tucker's offered you a place to stay so you can rest between treatments and catch up on the last 10 years. When Phlox releases you…"

"The standard procedure is debriefing and assignment," Malcolm replied softly. "Sir."

Captain Archer frowned, "Nothing about this situation is standard, Ensign, and I'd like for you to be in top health before being debriefed," he replied calmly. "Phlox, how is Ensign Reed doing?"

"If it's all the same to you, sir, I'd like to find my patch of floor," Malcolm spoke softly. "Please."

Phlox offered Malcolm an encouraging smile, "I actually put a time-release device in your arm so you'll get the medication at appropriate intervals," he explained kindly. "If you feel up to it, you can dress and go."

To Archer and Tucker's surprise, Malcolm silently got up and dressed in the provided clothes, "You'll have to keep that line in for hydration for the time being," Phlox said, gesturing to his hand.

"I'll take ya to your temporary home," Commander Tucker replied, offering Malcolm an arm to lean on.

Malcolm reluctantly allowed himself to be led out of Sickbay, but Archer stayed behind, "Phlox, given the situation, I'd like to discuss Malcolm's condition and how Starfleet expects me to handle the situation from here," he said in a concerned voice. "I'd appreciate any advice you may have."

Phlox nodded and listened intently, his concern growing as Archer explained Starfleet's wishes.

* * *

"It ain't much, but it's home for now," Commander Tucker replied as he guided Malcolm into his assigned quarters after a quiet turbolift ride and mini-tour where he explained things to the Ensign.

Malcolm eyed the space at the end of the bunk and moved towards it, but Commander Tucker gently guided him over to the bunk, "Doc said you needed a bed to sleep on," Commander Tucker said in a firm voice, helping him sit. "I can camp on the floor or in my chair til the Cap'n can get you quarters."

As much as Malcolm wanted to argue, pure exhaustion overruled him and he promptly slumped to the bed, letting his head hit the pillow. Commander Tucker silently moved to his desk, pulled out the newly repaired blanket from Nadet, and dropped it over Malcolm's body before taking a seat in his chair.

"Guess this is as good as time as any to do mah paperwork," Commander Tucker said, turning to his computer with a sigh. "If it weren't for Malcolm, I might never have a chance to get it done."

* * *

A growl escaped Malcolm's stomach, jarring him awake. He was surprised to find that the lights were dimmer and that Commander Tucker was asleep at his desk, snoring loudly. Malcolm immediately decided that he didn't want to be a bother and would try to find something to eat himself as he had done back on Terra Nova when he had been well enough to. He uncovered himself quietly.

As Malcolm got up, he was hit with a wave of nausea and fatigue, but he ignored it and quietly left the room without his blanket. He made his way to the turbolift he had been shown earlier and got in.

"Where's the bloody food on this thing?" Malcolm asked, sighing as he pressed a button and waited.

The lift moved and when it finally stopped, Malcolm staggered out and tried to make sense of where he was because he didn't know. He grabbed the wall to steady himself as he made his way down the corridor and let out a weak sigh of relief when he found that he had come upon what he assumed was the Mess Hall. It was quiet, had several tables, and provided a view of space.

"Excuse me, sir?" a quiet voice called out. "You're Ensign Reed, right?"

Malcolm turned towards the voice and froze at seeing someone lingering in what looked like a kitchen area, "Yes?" he replied softly. "I…I don't believe I've met you before, but I guess I am Ensign Reed."

"The Captain made a ship-wide announcement about you joining the crew," the man said in a kind voice, frowning as Malcolm slowly moved over to him and grabbed the counter. "You all right?"

Malcolm sighed, "I'm a bit hungry and nauseous from whatever's in me," he replied softly.

The man nodded, "I'm known to everyone as Chef," he explained kindly. "What would you like?"

"I…I don't know," Malcolm replied in a quiet voice. "Something to help me feel better, I guess."

Chef eyed Malcolm worriedly, "How about some tea with some chicken and rice?" he suggested.

"Lovely," Malcolm replied quietly as he extracted himself from the inquisitive chef's gaze and retreated to the nearest table, his little amount of energy fading as he sat. "Do you mind if I nap a bit?"

Chef shook his head, "It'll take a bit to put everything together," he replied calmly. "It's fine."

Without hesitation, Malcolm rested his head on his arms and drifted into a nap. Chef quickly put the requested items on to cook and then quickly went over to his communication terminal. He was very concerned about the new arrival and he knew from Archer that Ensign Reed was supposed to be under the supervision of Commander Tucker due to ongoing treatments for illnesses gained from his 10 years on Terra Nova. Now, with Ensign Reed here with no Commander Tucker in sight, Chef was upset.

"Chef to Captain Archer," Chef said into the comm, watching Ensign Reed very carefully.

A yawn filled the comm, " _Chef_?" a groggy voice spoke. " _Chef, it's 0200. Is something wrong_?"

"I have Ensign Reed asleep in the Mess after he came down here unassisted and requested some food because he didn't feel well," Chef spoke sternly. "I thought Commander Tucker was assigned…"

A machine beeped, " _I'll be right there_ ," Captain Archer replied, his tone one of disbelief and irritation.

The communication ended and Chef returned to his cooking, trusting that the Captain would handle it.

* * *

"…I know Trip's tired from the unexpected away mission we had earlier, but he promised me he'd make sure Ensign Reed had something to eat," an upset voice spoke. "Obviously, that did _not_ happen…"

Malcolm shuddered as he untangled himself and sat up, only to find Chef and Captain Archer looking at him, "Your meal is ready, Ensign Reed," Chef spoke kindly. "Just sit there and I'll get it for you."

While Chef walked away, Captain Archer joined Malcolm at the table, "I woke and Commander Tucker was asleep at his desk," Malcolm spoke quietly. "I felt it would be _inconsiderate_ to wake him since he's a senior officer and sleep is very important to senior officers. I feel bad that Chef felt it was necessary…"

"And you're undergoing treatments to eradicate cancer from your body," Captain Archer replied, cutting Malcolm off with a firm expression on his face. "Ensign, I know the last time you travelled in space, you were alone and didn't have anyone to rely on. It must be difficult for you to adjust being on a starship after 10 years of being stranded on Terra Nova and learning how to rely on yourself, but there are protocols and procedures here. I gave an order to Commander Tucker to make sure you got plenty of rest and whatever you needed. You're used to being self-reliant and somewhat of a protector…"

Malcolm nodded and sighed as Chef brought him a tray containing a small bowl of chicken and rice in a light broth and a large glass of apple juice, "Thank you," he spoke softly, eyeing the food nervously.

Chef nodded and retreated to the kitchen. Malcolm quietly drank the juice until it was gone, but made a point of not touching the bowl or its contents, "You don't have an appetite, do you?" Captain Archer asked in a concerned voice, eyeing Malcolm worriedly. "Do you need to see Phlox?"

Instead of speaking, Malcolm swallowed hard and quietly ate the contents of the bowl. Captain Archer quickly realized that he had somehow inadvertently pushed the new Ensign into pushing himself beyond a personal comfort level, "Anyway, Ensign, being part of a crew involves being unafraid to ask for help when you need it," Captain Archer spoke as Chef came back over and took the dishes away. "Next time you're not feeling well from the treatments and need something, I want you to ask for help."

"Yes sir," Malcolm replied softly, hanging his head. "I'm sorry if I disappointed you, Captain."

A beep filled the air before Archer could reply and he got up from the table, sighing as he answered the comm, " _Cap'n, I woke up to go to the bathroom and Malcolm's not here_ ," a groggy voice said.

"Ensign Reed's in the Mess Hall, Commander," Captain Archer spoke sternly, unaware that Chef had brought Malcolm another portion of food and drink because he wanted the Ensign to eat as much as he could to build his strength. "I want to talk to you in my Ready Room in 15 minutes. That's an order."

Before Commander Tucker could reply, Captain Archer shut off the comm and turned to see that Malcolm was again eating, "I need to go handle official business, Ensign," he spoke in a kind voice, offering Malcolm a reassuring smile. "Eat as much as you like and if you feel up to it, you can tour the ship to get to know it. Just don't do anything dangerous or forget to ask for help if you need it."

"I'd actually appreciate some help with breakfast prep," Chef commented. "If the Ensign wishes."

Malcolm nodded and continued to eat, so Captain Archer left the Mess Hall without a second thought.

* * *

Captain Archer's expression was serious as he looked up at Commander Tucker, who was bleary-eyed and annoyed at being called to the carpet at 0245, "You neglected your assignment, Trip," he spoke in a stern voice. "I asked you to help Ensign Reed acclimate to the ship and help him with his recovery."

"Aw, come on, Cap'n," Commander Tucker replied groggily. "I fell asleep at my desk after giving him the bed and I didn't think he was gonna stir. I figured he'd stay asleep and he _did_ while we were gone…"

Captain Archer sighed, finding himself unable to stay mad at his Chief Engineer and friend, "Admiral Forrest wants me to get Ensign Reed up to speed about how things work here and promote him to Armoury Officer with the rank of Lieutenant," he replied worriedly. "He made it an order."

Commander Tucker's eyes widened in surprise, "That guy's spent 10 years away from Starfleet on a deep space planet and Starfleet wants to make him a permanent fixture on Enterprise?!" he replied in a surprised voice. "Cap'n, we don't know what he's capable of doing or if he can do that job."

"Starfleet's been studying the logs that Ensign Reed kept while he was on Terra Nova, as have Hoshi and T'Pol," Captain Archer replied. "I know you were close to Lieutenant Hayes, Trip; everyone was, but we can't keep hanging on to his ghost. We can't just leave his quarters like a shrine and make everyone work themselves to death to do what he did every day. We have to let ourselves move on."

Commander Tucker scoffed, "I had my reservations too, but Starfleet seems to believe in Ensign Reed's abilities and they're trusting us to get him up to scratch," Captain Archer replied calmly. "We just have to wait until he's medically cleared by Phlox before we can tell him what Starfleet has ordered."

"Cap'n, are you sure that Malcolm even wants anything to do with us, this ship, or even Starfleet?" Commander Tucker asked in a concerned voice. "We kinda tore him away from his home without…"

Captain Archer scoffed, "Terra Nova is _not_ his home, Trip," he replied in a firm voice, his expression tired. "Ensign Reed ended up marooned there 10 years ago because his shuttlepod malfunctioned and crashed during a survey mission. Starfleet was still new and didn't have the means to search for him."

Before Commander Tucker could reply, there was a beep, "Chef to Archer," a voice said. "Come in."

"Archer here," Captain Archer replied in a tired voice. "I hope Ensign Reed isn't too much trouble?"

A sigh filled the air, "Ensign Reed returned to Commander Tucker's quarters with the intention of resting shortly after you left, Captain," Chef's voice replied. "He ate three portions and drank two glasses of juice."

"That's excellent news, Chef," Captain Archer replied, feeling relieved. "Thank you for telling me."

* * *

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	4. Away From Reality

" _Trip, is Ensign Reed awake_?" a voice suddenly asked, permeating Malcolm's thoughts.

Malcolm slowly allowed himself to return to consciousness and he opened his eyes just in time to see Commander Tucker, who was at his desk, press a button, "He's not…" Commander Tucker began.

"I am," Reed spoke in a tired voice as he slowly extracted himself from the bed and rose with a tired expression on his face clad only in the clean civvies that had been in his backpack. "Is that the Captain?"

Commander Tucker frowned worriedly, "You just had a treatment like two hours ago," he replied.

"I believe Phlox said it was the last one," Reed replied softly. "I must follow orders, Commander."

Commander Tucker sighed and pressed the button, "Yeah, Cap'n, he's awake," he replied calmly.

Malcolm was tired, but whatever the beings had done to him was urging him to obey every order given to him with exactness, " _Have him meet me in my Ready Room_ ," Archer's voice filled the air. " _And tell him to bring his things with him. We need to have a conversation that's been put off long enough."_

Commander Tucker turned to tell Malcolm the information, but Malcolm was already changing into the uniform that had been sent to him the other day by the quartermaster. This was not a social call, after all, and he needed to adhere to the uniform regulations of the ship now that he had a uniform. He had a headache, but it was manageable without needing to alert anyone or ask for medical intervention; duty was duty and even if he himself was not entirely comfortable with himself yet, duty came first.

* * *

Malcolm quickly stood at attention the moment he set foot in Archer's ready room, as he had been told to always act submissive in the presence of a superior office whilst in Starfleet. His bag, which was full of all of the worldly possessions he had left Earth with 10 years ago, was at his feet. The Novans had seen him as an equal and treated him like such, but he was now back to a rank and somewhat inferior. He had been given a uniform and an Ensign pip, but he didn't yet feel at home on the Enterprise.

Captain Archer eyed Malcolm worriedly, as the younger man seemed so stiff and reserved now; his personality from Terra Nova had been completely replaced in the last couple of months. He knew that Malcolm had used his resting time to read up on Starfleet protocols, procedures, weaponry, and other information pertinent to serving on Enterprise. He had also taken written tests to see where he was at.

Socially, however, Malcolm was a different story and had shied away from getting to know the rest of the crew except for himself, Commander Tucker, Chef, and Phlox. In between treatments, Malcolm had secluded himself in the Mess Hall or Trip's quarters with reading. That would need to be rectified.

For now, though, it was important that Reed be given his due for what he did on Terra Nova and what he had been doing to familiarize himself with the ship even if it was only through reading PADDs.

"Ensign, I've been kept apprised on your activities outside of Sickbay and I have to say, I think I need to make a change," Captain Archer spoke as he stood up from his desk and offered him a box.

Malcolm frowned as he took the box and opened it, revealing another pip, "I'll note in the log that Malcolm Reed has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on this date and given the position as Armory Officer," Captain Archer spoke calmly. "Starfleet's read your logs and analyzed your experiences on Terra Nova. I've observed you in intense study between your chemo sessions and I think you're ready to start assuming your new rank and duties. We'll keep you from away missions til you're a little stronger, but I've made it clear that _you_ are now in charge of that post and everyone's agreed…"

"I…I've heard people talk about Lieutenant Hayes and I…I worry about people expecting me to be the same as him, sir," Malcolm replied softly. "Not to be offensive, but I'm not like him at all."

Captain Archer nodded as he came around the desk, took the pip, and put it on Malcolm's uniform, "You're good enough to be here," he spoke firmly. "I've also gotten you some private quarters."

Malcolm swallowed hard, but said nothing as Captain Archer went over to the communications device on the wall, "Sub-commander T'Pol, please join us in my Ready Room," Captain Archer said kindly.

The mention of T'Pol made Malcolm's veins turn to ice, but he forced himself to maintain his professional façade as T'Pol came into the room. She nodded at Reed before looking at Archer.

"Lieutenant Reed needs to be shown Lieutenant Hayes's old quarters since he'll be taking them as part of his new work here," Captain Archer spoke kindly. "He's going to be our new Armory Officer."

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, but nodded, "I assume Starfleet wanted the position filled quickly so our deep space mission would not become compromised," she commented tonelessly. "Lieutenant, follow me."

Malcolm looked at Archer uncertainly and Archer nodded, so Malcolm picked his bag up before following T'Pol from the room. The Bridge was quiet and Malcolm quickly realized that it was not Alpha shift anymore. Archer must have wanted to spare him from too much too quickly, Malcolm thought, as he nodded politely to the evening shift while following T'Pol to the small turbolift. It frustrated him to be coddled so much while at the same time being given responsibilities that he didn't feel ready for.

* * *

Before Malcolm knew it, he and T'Pol had stopped in front of a door, "I trust you will be comfortable here," T'Pol spoke in a voice that indicated she was not overly pleased with Archer's decision to suddenly promote him and shove responsibilities on him. "Are you in need of further assistance?"

"No," Malcolm replied in a respectful tone as he pressed the door button and the door opened.

T'Pol gave a nod, "The access code is on a PADD on the desk, as are instructions on how to input it," she explained tonelessly. "The previous code was disabled so you could gain easy access…"

Malcolm nodded even though he was suddenly uncomfortable with T'Pol's presence, as the mere sight of her was triggering memories of unpleasant times on Terra Nova. Now that the burden of physical illness had been completely lifted from him, he was beginning to remember times where he himself had submitted to torture at the hands of aggressive visitors so that they wouldn't explore, find the others, and hurt them. Swallowing hard, Malcolm silently entered his quarters and closed the door quickly.

Not caring if T'Pol thought him rude or illogical, Malcolm sat on his new bunk and quietly unpacked his bag. He left the PADD's containing his logs in the bag, but he did take out Nadet's blanket and set it on the bed before extracting an instrument from his bag that Jamin had carved him to help ease his anxieties when he had first regained consciousness in the caves after being so severely injured. The music had helped him to calm himself enough that he was able to fully focus on his recovery.

The headache that had greeted him suddenly intensified and Malcolm lowered his head, shutting his eyes to try and block out the pain on his own. He could not…would not allow himself to be a burden. A memory, one that made him fear T'Pol, was suddenly resurfacing and he could not stop it.

_It had been a night not long before the Enterprise had shown up that he was patrolling the Overworld while the other Novans slept in the caves. Nadet had told him he didn't have to, but Jamin had been eager for the assistance and had allowed him to help. Malcolm had wanted to spend his time in the town anyway, compiling some thoughts about why Starfleet hadn't bothered to look for him yet and his anger about being sent out in a 'trash receptacle.' While Malcolm was making his way to the place where he had stored his things after being told they existed, he had seen the strange beings._

_They wore strange outfits and had pointy ears underneath strange haircuts. Malcolm had assumed they were Vulcan by the lack of emotion they displayed when analysing the planet. The Vulcans had spotted him and had asked why he was in such an infested area. Malcolm had assumed that they were referring to the Novans as 'infestations' and was worried for their safety. He had then had a coughing spell and migraine in front of the Vulcans. One had placed a hand on his face and spoken in what Malcolm assumed was Vulcan. It hadn't helped the pain and Malcolm felt violated, but he wasn't strong enough to fight them off. They had said it was a meld to see why he was there, as he was clearly not Novan and it was, they said, "unusual to see a Starfleet officer out so far in space among infestation."_

_It was shortly after that that Enterprise had come and Malcolm had never told any of the Novans about the visit from the beings, as they would only worry. He had continued to suffer headaches, but had kept quiet about it and had attributed the headaches to the cancer Phlox said he had suffered on Terra Nova._

Shaking himself out of that terrible memory, Malcolm put the instrument to his lips and began to play ever so softly. He was tired, yes, but the headache would keep him from actually getting any sleep and he hoped the music was enough to alleviate the headache. He needed to help himself as always.

* * *

The headache was again gone by morning and Malcolm had credited the instrument as being the reason it did, choosing to forget the memory of the Vulcans in case it was a trigger for the headaches. He had straightened himself up without a shower, as he had only used the one in Commander Tucker's quarters with his blessing the day before after the last treatment session had left him feeling grimy.

Malcolm had set the instrument in a shelf and had proceeded to the Mess. Chef had been delighted to see him and had been even more delighted at learning about his promotion, enough so that he had spoiled Malcolm with a special cooking of a full English breakfast and a smoothie for him. Even though Malcolm wasn't hungry, he had politely accepted the meal with thanks and was now quietly eating it.

"Someone's a favorite of Chef." A kind male voice spoke, prompting Malcolm to look up from his meal and see an Asian woman and a dark-skinned man, both in similar uniforms to his, smiling at him.

Malcolm looked uneasy because he wondered if he was in trouble, "Um, hello," he spoke nervously.

"I'm the Helmsman, Ensign Travis Mayweather," the man said warmly. "Ensign Reed, right? I heard you've been bunking with Commander Tucker while you've been getting better…."

Malcolm frowned, "Um, it's actually _Lieutenant_ Reed now," he corrected nervously. "Captain Archer decided to promote me and make me the Armory Officer. I'm assuming Starfleet requested it."

"It's been a while since we had one," the woman replied. "Ensign Hoshi Sato, Communications Officer."

Malcolm nodded, fearing that the two would go into ruminations about he and his predecessor were very different from one another. He knew from Commander Tucker that the old armory officer had been a Scottish man named Duncan Hayes and that Hayes had been a friend to everyone he could. From what he had gathered, Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Hayes had been incredibly close. Over time, Malcolm had realized that he was merely a charity case to the commander and not anything important.

Mayweather and Hoshi, however, didn't mention Lieutenant Hayes and they got their breakfasts from Chef before coming back to the table, "Do you mind if we join you?" Hoshi asked kindly, smiling at him.

"I don't mind," Malcolm replied softly, relaxing considerably. "This breakfast is nice."

Mayweather and Hoshi sat at the table, "So, you were really on Terra Nova for 10 years?" Hoshi asked in an intrigued voice, offering Malcolm a smile. "You must have had some interesting experiences."

"I honestly didn't know that long had passed until the Captain told me," Malcolm found himself replying in a quiet voice. "I knew I was getting older and time was passing because of the sun rising and setting, but I lost track after a while. I became so lost in the way of life that time really didn't matter anymore. My chronometer was also busted in the crash and I didn't have the supplies to do anything about it."

Hoshi nodded and Mayweather looked thoughtful, "Being on a Starfleet ship after living on a planet for 10 years must be difficult," he spoke kindly. "If there's anything I or anyone else can do to help…"

Malcolm suddenly found the urge to finish his breakfast and get up, "I've actually got to find the Armory and get to know my new team," he spoke anxiously. "Nice meeting you both, but I've got to go."

Without waiting for a reply, Malcolm returned his empty tray to Chef and thanked him before leaving the Mess. He didn't stop moving until he had gotten on to the turbolift where he could be alone.

"Armory," Malcolm spoke in a firm voice, now determined to focus on his duties no matter what.

* * *

"… _As of this morning, Ensign Malcolm Reed has been promoted to Lieutenant and is now Armory Officer and Chief of Security aboard the Enterprise_ ," Captain Archer's voice filled the air. " _I know this is sudden_ …"

 _Not yet another comparison to his beloved predecessor_. Malcolm thought bitterly as he tuned the rest of the ship-wide announcement out and focused on the target he had set up to test his shooting. He had read about the weapons during recovery from treatment, but he hadn't used a phaser in 10 years and was no doubt rusty. He had notified the Bridge that he would be practicing and nobody had bothered him, but the announcement of his promotion and responsibilities was now bothering him deeply.

The last time he had welded a Starfleet phaser, he was an Ensign and trying to prove that he was fit for a posting as a security detail for diplomats who came to and from Earth. Unfortunately for him, his poor social skills had rendered him unfit and he had been stuck without the security, comfort, and amenities that came with securing a posting. The Earth was still very much recovering from the Third World War even then and if one didn't have the security of a job, it meant a struggle to survive. Starfleet was still very, very new and so there weren't as many postings to go around as there were people. He had done his best with menial jobs for a time until he had heard of Starfleet's need for someone to survey a deep space colony who hadn't remained in touch despite being supposed to. Reed had abandoned his menial work and had readily volunteered because it meant steady food and a reasonably secure place to sleep.

Even 10 years out of practice hadn't harmed his abilities, Malcolm thought, as each shot he took hit the target quite easily. He sighed as he finished the test round and then secured everything before putting it away because he didn't wish to leave a mess. The next thing he wanted to do was get used to his station on the Bridge, but he was nervous to be in the company of those who didn't know him well. In his eyes, all they saw was the replacement for Lieutenant Hayes; they didn't see Lieutenant Malcolm Reed.

" _Lieutenant Reed, please report to the Bridge_ ," Captain Archer's voice suddenly filled the air.

Meeting the others in Security and an inspection would have to wait, Malcolm reasoned as he left.

* * *

An asteroid field was on the Bridge's viewscreen and Malcolm froze just after stepping out of the turbolift. The ship couldn't possibly make it through; the only thing that could would be a _shuttlepod_.

"Lieutenant Reed, nice of you to join us," Captain Archer called out. "Take your station."

Swallowing hard, Malcolm obeyed and went to the Tactical Station. He could see Mayweather, Hoshi, T'Pol, and Commander Tucker watching him curiously as if they were wondering why he was there, but he paid them no mind. Captain Archer got out of his chair and walked over to the Tactical station.

"We need this asteroid field surveyed and documented," Captain Archer explained calmly, giving Malcolm a formal look. "Given your experiences with shuttlepods, I'd like to send you…"

Malcolm tensed up, but didn't speak, "…With Commander Tucker to survey the field," Captain Archer finished in a calm voice. "We'll have to go the long way and meet you on the other side since the ship can't get through safely. It should take just a few days and you'll have plenty of supplies."

"What?!" Commander Tucker replied, scowling with a slight whine in his voice. "Why do I hafta go?"

Captain Archer gave Commander Tucker a stern look, "Because there's safety in numbers," he replied firmly, not wanting to say that he worried about Malcolm having post-traumatic flashbacks or medical problems if he were left to take the mission alone. "Can I trust you two to take this mission on?"

"Yes Captain," Malcolm said in a formal voice, determined to do his duty no matter what.

Commander Tucker scoffed, but nodded, "Get your gear and go to the shuttle bay," Archer ordered.

Malcolm immediately went to the turbolift, but Tucker lagged behind, pouting the entire time because he was basically being sent along as a glorified babysitter and he had better things to do with his time.

* * *

By the time they were in the pod with their things and beginning to navigate through the asteroid field, Malcolm's headache had returned. Target practice hadn't done anything helpful and had opened old wounds by reminding him of life before Terra Nova. Of course, tiredness aside, he was quite adept at piloting Shuttlepod One and had volunteered to take the first shift while Tucker made sure the rest of their systems were working, " _Enterprise to Shuttlepod One_ ," a voice suddenly filled the small ship.

"Tucker here, Cap'n," Officer Tucker replied, tapping the console. "We're in the field…"

" _We're picking up a distress call and we don't want to wait for you to come back out before we go answer it_ ," Captain Archer's voice filled the pod. " _We may be a little late meeting you_ …"

The comm-link suddenly dropped as Malcolm inadvertently brushed against an asteroid, causing the entire pod to shake. Commander Tucker swore and moved to the front, frowning when he saw that Malcolm was beginning to look tired, "Hey, go take a break," Commander Tucker ordered firmly.

Malcolm silently moved away from the controls and shakily placed a hand on his aching head as he retreated to the computers. He was tired and could barely make out the readings, but he _had_ to.

"Malcolm, are you sick?" Malcolm heard a concerned voice ask. "You're rubbing your head."

" _It's fascinating you are here since you are not one of them," a Vulcan voice filled his mind._

Malcolm whimpered as the pain intensified and rocketed through his body enough to send him to his knees in an instant. Commander Tucker swore and quickly set the shuttlepod on autopilot before going to the back, frowning when he saw Malcolm semi-conscious and on his knees with a hand on his head.

"I knew it was a bad idea to put so much on him so fast," Commander Tucker grumbled irritably as he began trying to signal Enterprise and found that the comms system wasn't working. " _Crap_ …"

Uttering every swear word in the book, Commander Tucker dragged Malcolm over to a bed and grunted as he hauled the man on top of one. He then turned to search through the supplies for the medkit.

As Commander Tucker found the medkit, he suddenly heard the powering up of a phaser and his eyes widened in shock as he felt it press against his skull, "What are you doin'?" he asked nervously, wondering if Malcolm was trying to pull a prank. "Malcolm, what are you doin' with that?"

"You tried to contact Enterprise to tell them that I was too sick…too _weak_ to finish this mission," Malcolm's voice filtered into his ear with a low, angry growl in it. "You think I'm weak, don't you?!"

Commander Tucker's eyes went wide, "You passed out from a headache and the comms are down, so I was just getting ya some medicine," he replied, raising the medkit so Malcolm could see it. "See?"

Silence filled the cabin and the pressure of the phaser suddenly eased, so Commander Tucker slowly turned and found Malcolm staring at the still powered-up phaser wistfully, "Give it here," he ordered in a firm voice. "Give it here right now and I won't tell the Cap'n you tried to shoot me in the head. Clear?"

Malcolm suddenly looked taken aback and stared at the phaser in shock before powering it down and throwing it across the floor as if it were diseased, "What was I doing with that?" he asked shakily.

"It's not important," Commander Tucker lied, realizing that Malcolm had some sort of episode and clearly didn't remember everything that had transpired in the last little bit. "Still have a headache?"

Malcolm frowned, "A bit of one," he replied softly, seeing the medkit. "Come to help me?"

"Yeah, just let me find the right hypo," Commander Tucker replied in a concerned voice.

* * *

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	5. Remembering Days of Old

Time had no meaning when he was asleep and the silence was so great that for a moment, Malcolm thought he was back on Terra Nova. It was only when he opened his eyes that he realized that he was still on Shuttlepod One with Commander Tucker. The silence, however, was very concerning.

Sighing sleepily, Reed slowly rose from the bed and found that Commander Tucker was working at the nearby control panel, his expression one of concern. He seemed deep in concentration.

“Did I miss all of the asteroids?” Malcolm asked groggily. “How long did I sleep?”

Commander Tucker sighed, “About 12 hours,” he replied worriedly, his eyes still on the controls.

“If you have to tell the Captain about the incident, I understand,” Malcolm replied softly.

Commander Tucker paused, “PTSD is nothin’ to be ashamed of, Malcolm,” he replied, turning to look at the man with a calm expression on his face. “It’s actually kinda normal after being stranded on a planet for 10 years and then suddenly ripped away. You’ve only been on the Enterprise for a few months…”

A reading suddenly caught Commander Tucker’s eye and he looked back at the console, “Some debris up ahead,” he spoke in a concerned voice. “Do you wanna take the flight controls for a bit?”

Malcolm slowly edged off the bunk and over to the flight controls, allowing a shaky yawn to escape his lips as he sat down, “We’re within range of the end of the field,” Officer Tucker said calmly.

Nodding, Malcolm took a look at the remaining asteroids and suddenly froze when he saw familiar debris embedded in one of the bigger asteroids, “It _can’t_ be…” he whispered anxiously. “Commander.”

Commander Tucker frowned at the tone in Malcolm’s voice and he moved to the front, deeply relieved that they were upon the last of the field. His eyes suddenly grew to the size of saucers when he saw what Malcolm was looking at; debris from Enterprise was in the last asteroid. Had it crashed?

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

“Are you gonna keep starin’ at that thing or what?” Malcolm heard a drawl ask after what seemed like an eternity of him staring at the bits of wreckage in the asteroid. “I know it reminds you of…”

Malcolm sighed irritably, “You know very little about me,” he replied in a terse voice. “I’m not your _dearly departed friend,_ Duncan Hayes, so stop trying to treat me as you treated him.”

Commander Tucker froze, “ _Excuse me_?!” he replied angrily, glaring daggers at Malcolm.

“I’m not your little charity case any longer and it’s not the _whole_ Enterprise,” Malcolm replied, eyeing the debris on the asteroid. “It’s only a piece of it. They must have gotten here first and got caught in the gravity, suffered some damage, and then pulled back to regroup somewhere….”

Commander Tucker frowned, “They crashed and they’re with Duncan now while I’m stuck with you!” he replied angrily as he moved forward. “I had you in my quarters for two months and you’re…!”

“I’m what?!” Malcolm snapped as he turned to glare at Commander Tucker. “A _charity_ case?!”

Commander Tucker tried to grab Malcolm, but Malcolm reeled back and clocked Commander Tucker in the jaw, sending him to the back of the pod, “You’re an idiot,” Malcolm mumbled as he turned back to the flight controls. “You know _nothing_ about true survival and making the best of very little…”

“We probably took the same survival courses,” Commander Tucker replied in an irritable voice, glaring at Malcolm as he rubbed his jaw. “If you keep up with the outbursts, we’re gonna have problems…”

Malcolm scoffed, “Starfleet doesn’t know the first thing about real world survival,” he replied irritably as he eyed the monitors. “Navigation’s still functioning. Could we pick up Enterprise’s signal?”

Commander Tucker blinked and moved to the computer, “Maybe once we get free of the asteroid,” he replied, eyeing the computer worriedly. “Sensors are malfunctioning. We can try to send out a signal.”

Malcolm nodded, “Pick a direction,” he replied shakily. “Maybe we’ll run into them…”

“Did you lose brain cells during the 10 years you were stranded on Terra Nova or what?” Commander Tucker growled irritably. “We don’t even know where we are. We can’t just pick a direction!”

Malcolm silently edged away from the controls, “Fine,” he snipped, having had enough. “You handle it and figure things out even though you’re a pampered brat who’s never endured hardship. I’m done.”

Commander Tucker frowned as Malcolm quietly retreated to his bunk and stared up at the ceiling. Deeply shocked at the Lieutenant’s anger, Commander Tucker sent out a distress signal that was set to repeat every few hours before moving to the front and settling himself at the flight controls.

“I’ll get us away from the field and then we can decide what to do,” Commander Tucker grumbled.

Malcolm didn’t offer a reply and Commander Tucker didn’t care to check as to why, as he had just about had his fill of the attitude and the ungrateful behavior. He also intended on reporting Malcolm’s behavior to the Captain once they got back to Enterprise; it was clear that Malcolm didn’t have the ability to handle so much responsibility or people and it might be better to take him back to Earth.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

“… _Shuttlepod One, this is the Enterprise. Do you read?”_

“ _Yeah, Captain, we read you. Well, I do anyway. I decided Lieutenant Reed’s too dangerous and I think we should take him back to Earth when we meet up. He’s definitely not Duncan and I can’t handle dealing with him anymore. I’m sure Starfleet can find something for Malcolm…Malcolm…Malcolm…”_

Malcolm suddenly felt himself being shook and he opened his eyes to see Commander Tucker hovering beside him looking worried, “You weren’t responding,” Officer Tucker commented worriedly, his expression one of deep concern. “I got us out of the field and set a course in about the same direction the ship went in. Maybe we’ll get lucky and end up running into them. Are you hungry at all?”

“I’m not letting you send me back,” Malcolm replied groggily. “I’ve got nothing on Earth.”

Commander Tucker frowned, bewildered by Malcolm’s words, “Phlox said you should eat regularly while your body rebuilds strength,” he said in a concerned voice. “I got some ready made meals out for us.”

Malcolm stared at the meals for a moment before sighing, “This reminds me of the first time I woke on Terra Nova,” he spoke softly, taking one of the meals. “I was underground and I was hurt badly...”

* * *

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* * *

_2141_

“ _The small skyship is near the town on the overside. He was found inside of it five moons ago.”_

“ _He looks hurt. Did you give him bandages and medicine?”_

_Ensign Malcolm Reed let out a quiet whimper as he felt a rough, unfamiliar hand pressing something cool on his face, “He has burns from the fire in the skyship,” he heard a gentle voice say. “Akary pulled him out and put out the fire trapping him.”_

_It was then that Malcolm had woken up and found strange faces staring at him from above, but intense pain flooded his body and he didn't have the strength to speak. One of the strange beings put something cool on his head and he had drifted back into sleep almost immediately. He had woken some time later and another of the beings had told him it was three more moons since he woke and fell back asleep. It had taken a long time for him to have the strength to speak and only then did he learn he was injured internally, suffering a head injury, and had a broken leg in a mud poultice to keep it immobilized._

_The Novans had asked him who he was and Malcolm hadn't been able to tell them for months because he couldn't remember. Whatever he had been wearing before he woke was gone, but the Novans had given him clothing similar to theirs and worked very hard to make him well. When he was well with his memory restored, Malcolm had realized that his situation was grave enough that he was stranded._

“ _..._ Once I realized that the shuttlepod had no power and that there was no way to send any sort of distress signal, I decided to simply accept what was,” Malcolm explained as he slowly at the warm meal in his hands. “Nadet treated me as a son and the others accepted me as one of them...”

Commander Tucker frowned as he ate his own meal, “Didn't anyone ever come lookin' for ya when ya didn't come home from your mission?” he asked worriedly, his expression deeply concerned.

“I'm not close to my family,” Malcolm replied. “And Starfleet didn't have that deep of pockets. It was a fast shuttlepod, but it wasn't particularly strong. I took the assignment because it beat the street.”

Commander Tucker looked stunned, “You were on the street?” he replied worriedly.

“I had trouble getting a posting,” Malcolm replied as he finished the meal. “That was good.”

Commander Tucker eyed Malcolm suspiciously, “I thought a posting was guaranteed after finishing the courses?” he replied in a surprised voice, watching as Malcolm threw the container in a trashbox.

“Not always,” Malcolm admitted softly. “Starfleet's a young organization and social struggles...”

Commander Tucker sighed, “They still shoulda come lookin' for ya,” he replied as he finished his own meal. “And you shouldn't have been treated like garbage simply cause ya had some social issues.”

Malcolm shrugged and sighed, “What are we going to do now, Commander?” he asked timidly, his mask of professionalism quickly sliding back into place. “Are we just going to hope to run into the ship?”

“I've got the distress call on a repeat loop,” Commander Tucker replied. “Not much else we can do except rest, make sure we stay fed and hydrated. Speaking of which, here's some apple juice...”

Malcolm eyed the container Commander Tucker suddenly held out to him, “Phlox said you need to drink it at least once a day til you're stronger,” Commander Tucker explained. “It's not poisoned...”

“I only drank the water on Terra Nova because it's what was there,” Malcolm replied stiffly, feeling like the commander was making fun of him for drinking irradiated water. “Had I known it was...”

Commander Tucker looked surprised, but handed Malcolm the juice box and Malcolm silently drank it, realizing that he had to get his temper in check, “Didja ever get any counseling from Phlox when you were doing your treatments?” Commander Tucker asked. “He's a qualified psychologist.”

“And have him declare me unfit for duty just like you're trying to?” Malcolm asked softly. “No.”

Commander Tucker scowled, but Malcolm was done talking, “I believe it’s your turn for a nap, Commander,” he said in a formal voice, sighing. “I’ll keep watch on the controls for a while.”

Not wanting to give the Commander a chance to argue, Malcolm slipped off of the bed and moved to the front of the pod. Commander Tucker sighed and retreated to his bunk, knowing that he had to say something to Phlox about Malcolm’s mental health when they got back. He _had_ to remember to do it.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

Anxious swearing filled the air, rousing Commander Tucker from sleep. He rose from his bunk just in time to see Malcolm using some uneaten potatoes to seal a hole that was just above his sleeping place.

“The pod took some damage while you were asleep and we lost some air,” Malcolm explained in a shaky voice without looking away from his work. “I know you’re awake, Commander. I heard you move.”

Commander Tucker sighed, “…Shuttlep…d….We hear you…altered course…” a voice suddenly spoke.

“I managed to find the direction where the message was originating from and altered course, but we hit a gravitational pocket and took damage,” Malcolm replied weakly. “We might not make it.”

Commander Tucker frowned as Malcolm suddenly sank a bit and grabbed his forehead, “I seem to have taken some damage when we hit the pocket,” Malcolm spoke shakily. “Pass me the medical kit.”

Instead of obeying, however, Commander Tucker moved off the cot and pulled Malcolm to the other cot, forcing the man to sit. He was shocked to see that Malcolm was now sporting a bloody gash on his forehead that was starting to bruise, “Did you lose consciousness at all?” he asked worriedly.

“I’m just a bit shaken,” Malcolm replied softly, frowning as Commander Tucker quickly got the medkit.

Commander Tucker nodded and Malcolm sighed at the sight of the medical supplies, “We should save things,” Malcolm spoke shakily as he moved off the bed and looked at the consoles. “I’m fine.”

“How much air do we have left?” Commander Tucker asked. “You said we took damage.”

Malcolm sighed, “Less than a day and the life support system's been damaged, so we're going to get very cold very quickly,” he replied weakly, lowering his head. “Bit of a headache.”

“Look, Malcolm, why don’t you let me fix your wound?” Commander Tucker suggested quietly, hating that the Lieutenant was simply brushing his head injury off simply because of their situation.

Malcolm scoffed, but slowly returned to the bed simply because he was fast losing energy. Commander Tucker took the opportunity to patch his colleague's head wound with the supplies they had.

“We should rest and preserve our air,” Commander Tucker spoke, retreating to his bunk with the supplies and laying down because he too was beginning to tire. “There's nothing more we can do for ourselves...”

The cabin was beginning to get colder and Commander Tucker quickly drifted off to sleep, trusting that Malcolm would soon join him. Malcolm, however, remained awake and scooted off the bunk as quietly as he could. He covered Commander Tucker with his blanket and then moved to the front controls.

“I've been through snowstorms,” Malcolm spoke in a weak voice, settling himself at the flight controls and hugging himself while he stared out at the stars. “I've been through cold nights in the park...”

Commander Tucker, Malcolm mused, was reasonably accustomed to comfort and would benefit from the extra blanket. Malcolm, however, knew he was still very much in the mindset that living on the streets and on Terra Nova had bestowed upon him. He would be fine...or so he hoped.

As Malcolm stared out at the stars, his body and injured head began to feel heavy and he slowly allowed himself to float away into nothingness. A small rest, after all he had done...it wouldn't harm him.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

“... _Strangely enough, Commander Tucker's in worse shape even though he was resting and had two extra blankets covering him_ ,” Phlox's voice filled the air. “ _Lieutenant Reed's physiology seems more used to_...”

Malcolm let out a weak sigh as he opened his eyes and found that he was staring at the familiar ceiling of the Enterprise Sickbay. Almost immediately, he was greeted by two pairs of very familiar eyes. He slowly sat up and sighed as he came face to face with Phlox and a concerned looking Captain Archer.

“Malcolm, take it easy,” Dean Archer spoke in a concerned voice, frowning. “You've got...”

Malcolm sighed softly, “Sir, I overheard what you said about my physiology and I suppose I owe you an explanation,” he spoke softly, sighing weakly. “We'll have to sit down at some point and talk about it...”

“Once you're recovered from your head injury and hypothermia,” Captain Archer spoke firmly.

Malcolm nodded, “If it's all the same to you, sir, I'd rather rest in my quarters because it feels less like a shelter than Sickbay does,” he spoke in a quiet voice, looking down at his blanket somberly. “Please?”

Captain Archer found himself confused at the shelter comment, but Phlox silently scanned Malcolm with a tricorder because he felt that the Lieutenant was battling feelings of PTSD by merely being in Sickbay even though it was meant to help him, “If you feel like you're all right, I'll allow you to leave, but I want you off duty for the next little while. I'll have Chef deliver your meals your quarters so you can rest.”

Malcolm nodded and silently got to his feet, ignoring the worried look that Archer was giving him. He silently left the Sickbay and went to his quarters as fast as his weakened body would let him move.

“ _Now_ I've done it,” Malcolm muttered angrily to himself as he sat on his bed and sighed weakly. “I mentioned a shelter and the Captain's probably _quite_ angry that I was released, but I _couldn't_...”

Memories of having to fight fellow transients for food, possessions , and sleeping space on the streets and in shelters before volunteering for the Terra Nova survey mission were still very fresh in Malcolm's mind and he was ashamed of them. He was _ashamed_ of having that secret on his heart.

Swallowing hard, Malcolm turned to his shelf and took hold of the Novan instrument. His weakened, slightly cold hands shook as he played, but the sound would relax him enough so he could rest. What he didn't know, however, was that his predecessor had left a parting gift. There was a small security camera in the corner of the room that was pointed at Malcolm, a gift left by the last occupant of the room.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

_Vulcan Transport Vahklas_

“...What is that _horrible_ noise?” the voice of Duncan Hayes hissed from the lips of the Suliban Cabal soldier who had impersonated him until his shapeshifting ability had failed and he had been forced to fake his death to avoid detection. “Is that British _weakling_ really who Archer picked to be my replacement?!”

The Cabal's eyes were focused on the screen that showed his former quarters on Enterprise, quarters that now belonged to Malcolm Reed. Malcolm Reed had been under observation for some time now.

A scoff filled the air, “Duncan Hayes never even existed until your comrades failed to kill Klaang at that farmer's silo,” an amused voice spoke. “You fabricated records and conned Starfleet enough to sneak on to the Enterprise to get Klaang back, but then your family disease kicked in and you were forced to...”

The Cabal glanced away from the screen and his eyes narrowed when he saw one of the Vulcans who had helped him fabricate the records Starfleet had and who had helped him fake his death successfully, “Tolaris, don't you have anything better to do?” he asked coldly. “I'm spying on my successor...”

“You mean Duncan's successor,” Tolaris replied smugly, smirking. “Why are you obsessed with him?”

The Cabal scoffed, “Why was the crew of the _Vahklas_ obsessed with landing on Terra Nova and forcing a meld with Ensign Malcolm Reed instead of just surveying from orbit?” he asked in a cold voice.

“Malcolm Reed was _fascinating_ to us,” Tolaris replied calmly. “We _miss_ him and we believe we can use him to try and remind the Humans that they have _no_ business being out in space like they are...”

Swearing in Suliban, the Cabal moved away from the viewscreen, “He's a slave of Section 31, Tolaris, and they sent him to Terra Nova to try and get him to claim it for illegitimate purposes,” he explained in a cold voice as he accessed a computer and pulled up a file they had on Reed. “He _can't_ be trusted.”

“We already learned that the first time we melded with him,” Tolaris replied in a calm, almost patronizing voice as he smirked at his Cabal colleague. “He suffered injury during his crash on the planet that made him forget the assignment they gave him. I _think_ he _will_ respond if we administer...”

The Cabal sneered, “And _what_ do you plan to do with him after you try to make him submissive to commands with one of your petty melds?” he asked in a cold voice. “He's _nothing_ but skin and bone!”

“The Enterprise will _not_ be willing to turn on one of their own because Humans have a foolish tendency to protect those they perceive as weak or sick and so they'll surrender,” Tolaris reasoned in a tone he usually reserved for when he spoke to ignorant children. “We'll be able to take their ship.”

The Cabal scoffed, “I want Malcolm Reed for _questioning_ ,” he snipped. “You can have the rest.”

“Since you and your crew have so generously helped us with repairs and supplies, I would consider that a fair exchange,” Tolaris replied in a calm voice. “We should intercept Enterprise in a short while.”

Nodding, the Cabal returned to the vidscreen and continued to watch Malcolm play the Novan flute.


End file.
